Found....

Luke 15:32 "But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this sister of yours was dead and is alive again; she was lost and is found." NIV

April 14th, nothing significant about this day, you say. Except for maybe the fact that it's the day before tax day and everyone is trying to get into the post office to mail their tax returns. Don't people know about electronic filing and paying???? I mean seriously, this is ridiculous. I needed to mail a simply package today, unrelated to tax day, and I had to try not once, but twice to get into the post office. The first time, I couldn't find a parking place and the parking lot is set up such that if you don't find a parking spot the first time, you have to exit the parking lot, go back out onto the main road and try again. It's utterly ridiculous and I know why people go "postal". My second attempt was successful in that I found a parking spot, but the line at the self-serve kiosk was four people deep. But I preserved and got my package off for the Ladybug Spring Bling Swap. But I digress....

April 14th is Amelia's finding day. Two years ago, a kind man found her and took her to the local police station and then she was taken to Chengdu Orphanage. This day is always a sad/glad day. Sad that she was born into the situation that she was, glad that she was found and saved. So today, we give thanks for the kind man that took the time to save Amelia so that she could be found by us, her forever family! Praise be to God above!

I often think of her birth parents and what they must be thinking and feeling today. If I could, I would tell them this about Amelia SiYuan Wells:

Physically

~She weighs 24 pounds and is 31 1/2 inches tall

~She still has a soft spot, but it's now only about the size of my finger tip

~She can crawl and cruise, but does not walk yet

~Her feet look good, we still have a little ways to go to get them straight, but the doctor says that she will run like any other kid

~She has chubby arms and hands, a round face and a round tummy. She has no bottom and still can wear size nine month shorts and they fall off of her

~She loves to swing and go down the slide

~Her hair is finally growing a bit, I can't get a "water sprout" yet, but we're hopeful

~Her smile is brilliant and she shares it often

~Her eyes tell a thousand stores, from happiness to ornery & sadness to concern

~She LOVES to eat and will stuff so much food in her mouth that she can't chew

~Her verbal skills are amazing, she repeats everything-not such a good thing sometimes ;)

Mentally and emotionally:

~She loves her Jie Jie and Gu Gu's

~Tenacity is her gift, she never gives up

~She can cry a bucket of tears, but stops as soon as she's in her mama's arms

~Her temper matches her tenacity

~She takes a daily two hour nap and she sleeps through the night. Some nights she sleeps folded in half (it's weird looking)

~She loves to be held close right before bedtime and be snuggled

~Bath time is a favorite time of day

~She can go down a really big slide

~She adores Gordo, our dog

~She fears nothing

~Her favorite toy is her push cart~it takes her everywhere

~She doesn't have a favorite stuffed animal yet

~She did suck her thumb, but we've had to take steps against her undoing her "night-time shoe brace", so we have broken that habit

~Mama is her favorite and will cry if she doesn't get a hug and a kiss at bedtime

~She's learning to like reading books

~She uses the potty, but only when I ask (which is everyday, several times a day)

~She hasn't met a food she doesn't like, but water is her favorite drink

I would say that she's dearly and deeply loved by many. We are doing our best for her and pray that she grows into the beautiful person God has created her to be. We are still bonding and attaching and each day is better and better. I would say that she is more like me than any of my children. I guess that's why God laid it on my heart to adopt again~so I could get a taste of myself when I was young.

For as much as my heart aches for what she has lost, I'm ever so grateful for what we have found...A child of God, perfectly knit into our family!

May they find peace on this day and always knowing that she is loved beyond measure.

Yes, this daughter/sister/child was lost and now is found. Let us CELEBRATE!